You Bought These More Than I Did

Hey, Johannes from GearUpYourLife here…

And fun fact to start, the day this episode goes live is actually my birthday.
Which usually means one thing for me: the year is almost over.

Back in school, this was always the worst time because we’d write the very last exam right before winter break, which I absolutely hated.
Luckily, there’s no test today.

Instead, this is a rewind, a look back at the travel gadgets you actually bought the most this year, and the ones I’m now planning to buy myself because of that.

As many of you know, I can see which products you purchased through my recommendations , and also what people tend to buy in the same category afterward.
No names, no creepy stuff… don’t worry 😄

So let’s do a real gadget rewind of the past year.

🥇 The Most Purchased Travel Gadget This Year

($19) Anker PowerLine 3-in-1 Charging Cable — 324 purchases
Honestly, this one doesn’t surprise me at all.
A single cable that covers Lightning, USB-C, and Micro-USB is just a no-brainer. I’ve been recommending it for a long time, and you keep buying it consistently. It’s durable, cuts down cable clutter, and is one of those things you buy once and then use for years. Fully deserved number one spot, it’s just extremely simple and quick fun Fact even my Mother have bought one so it’s an universal Thing !

🔁 The Gadget You Kept Buying Again and Again

($7) Fomin Soap Sheets — 245 total purchases (100+ repeat buys)
This one really caught my attention.
Not just a lot of purchases, what was not surprising at all, but a ton of repeat purchases. That usually means one thing: you actually used them, ran out, and reordered. Ultra-light, no leaks, perfect for short trips or as a backup in your daypack. That’s exactly how travel gear should behave.

💰 The Best-Selling Budget Travel Gadget

($12) Nanobag — 251 purchases
This thing is almost unfair for the price.
A lot of you even told me you bought more than one, one in your sling, one in your carry-on, one in the car. I personally use mine almost daily, and honestly, if there’s one gadget that truly supports minimalist travel, it’s this one.

🚗 The Gadget You Bought After Watching One Video

($25) ESR Car Mount — 20+ purchases (from ~5k clicks)
This is a great example of trust in action.
Not many clicks and probably Road trip Gadget Videos aren’t for anyone , but still over 20 purchases That tells me the people who clicked actually needed it. Simple, stable, no gimmicks, but exactly right for long drives, and i love it too its an great and solid choice .

🎒 The Most Popular Carry-On / Travel Bag Upgrade

($185) Osprey Farpoint 40 — 56 purchases (carry-on winner)
If we’re talking strictly carry-on backpacks, this was the clear winner.
No trends, no experiments just the most proven system in the Travel Community. Comfortable, airline-friendly, and a classic choice for anyone traveling with one bag.

($199) NayoSmart Herman Pro Half Roll-Top — 19 purchases (overall bags)
This one is interesting. Fewer sales, but very intentional ones.
It’s not a mass-market bag, it’s a conscious upgrade. Clean design, great organization, and perfect if you want one bag that works for both everyday life and travel, thats also why it was the first review on the new channel !

✈️ The Gadget You Bought for Flights the Most

($40) Twelve South AirFly — 236 purchases
Yeah… this one was honestly pretty obvious 😅
I mention AirFly, you buy AirFly—- it’s really a classic Gadget !

What surprised me, though:
The more affordable UGREEN adapter, which I only showed maybe three times this year, ended up with almost the same number of purchases. That tells me you’re not just buying premium by default, you’re comparing and choosing what makes sense and thats an good thing !

🧵 The Most Underrated Gadget — Based on Your Purchases

($12) Sea to Summit Camping Clothesline — 196 purchases
I did not see this coming.
Hardly anyone talks about it, yet almost 200 of you bought it. That usually means once you need it, you immediately get the value. Lightweight, no electricity, no nonsense — exactly the kind of low-key gear I personally love and you also how it looks.

🤯 What You Bought the Most — Even Though I Never Recommended It

($45) Stanley Travel Mug — 49 purchases
($40) Osprey Ultralight Packing Cube Set — 50 purchases
This one made me smile.
I never actively recommended either of these, yet they consistently show up in your purchases. Which honestly is a good thing because it means i have a lot to buy next Year!

🧠 Final Thoughts

A lot of these are products I use almost every day myself, and I’m honestly happy to see how well they resonated with you. With a return rate of under 1%, I’m confident that whether you buy something through a link or just follow along to understand how I think about gear, you’re rarely disappointed by what I recommend and that’s by far the most important thing to me.

So thank you for the trust. This is the last gadget-focused newsletter of the year, but definitely not the last one overall, so no worries.

I hope you enjoyed this kind of rewind.
And yes quick apology for missing last Sunday’s issue. There’s no deep reason… I simply forgot to publish it. Sounds dumb —- because it was 😅
So you’ll get it this Sunday, which will also be the last edition before Christmas.

If you enjoyed this issue being on time, with working images and links for once, you might also like last week’s video where I shared my take on Real Winter Travel Essentials.
You can watch it here:
View on YouTube… 17 Winter Travel Essentials That All Fit in One Carry-On Bag (2025)

And with that, I’ve officially spent my birthday very differently than I used to- no school exams, no university tests.
Hopefully this issue doesn’t deserve the kind of grades I sometimes got back then 😄

Safe travels,
Johannes

PS: As many of you already noticed, the new Review Channel is live.
I’d really appreciate a subscription over there, it helps a lot.
The second review goes live tomorrow.
👉 Subscribe here